1. Field of the Invention.
This invention pertains to the field of electronics. More particularly, the invention pertains to the field of alternating current circuitry. By way of further characterization, the invention concerns a signal source useful in testing and operation of other electronic circuitry. In still greater particularity, the invention is directed to a signal burst generator. By way of illustration, the invention is described as it pertains to a burst generator delivering a selected number of cycles of a particular cyclic waveform upon the application of a trigger pulse.
2. Description of the prior art.
The testing of electronic circuitry frequently requires the measurement of the response to a limited duration, high-frequency, alternating current energy. The requirement for extremely short bursts poses particularly stringent demands on the test equipment supplying the test signal. In bursts of energy having such limited duration as to constitute fewer than ten cycles, for example, a problem arises as to maintaining uniform energy in each burst required to obtain uniform response by the test circuit to the individual bursts. A need, unmet by the prior art, has existed for a signal source which will supply upon demand a burst of a finite number of cycles which have a high degree of reproducibility and of the same power content.
Prior art systems exist for the control of electrical signals in synchronism with other cyclic waveforms. Additionally, known systems periodically interrupt continuous signals into bursts of a finite number of pulses which recur regularly thereby dividing the signal into a plurality of cyclic bursts. Similarly, circuits are available to apply power in synchronism with the power phase to a load. While these circuits are satisfactory for their intended purposes, they have not overcome the problems in the signal generation arts discussed above.